DOI Kapitel:
Chapter V: Our Friendship
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62482#0148
6o
REMINISCENCES OF G. F. WATTS
was the best antidote for all his ordinary ills and ailments,
mental and physical, even when he felt most tired out.
I do not think Watts was ever really dull in those days even
when quite alone, which he was at times for weeks to-
gether when his friends were away. His mind was too
active for him to feel dull. He was but a moderate reader,
but books, as well as adding to his store of information,
suggested a great deal to his fancy. A book would start a
train of ideas quite outside and beyond its own contents. At
all times Watts’ mind was prone to exaggerate any difficulties
which arose in daily life; to be scared by imaginary dangers,
and to get nervously excited over trifles.1 He lived many
hours alone in his studio. He felt work a great strain on his
frail physique and sensitive nervous system. When that
strain relaxed he had but little vitality left to combat alone
any difficulties or worries. When we were in the country
these worries would arrive to me by post in long letters
which reflected the fears and agitations he was feeling, which
five minutes’ cheerful talk would probably have calmed and
dispelled. He never got quite free from the thought of his
work, so that a sympathy and interest in it, and in the great
questions pertaining to his view of art, were a necessary
accompaniment to the true intimacy of friendship. Such
sympathy and interest I had no difficulty in giving—indeed,
it was a great delight to do so. From a child the world of
art had ever been a world of enchanted ground to me, also
from a child Watts’ art had been the art that had appealed
to me as the most interesting. He no doubt greatly ex-
aggerated the value of my performances ; but neither he nor
1 One evening when our boy and a little girl who was staying with us had
gone with my maid to the Crystal Palace, and had not returned quite so early as
we expected them, having missed a train, Watts became full of nervous anxiety.
Very early next morning he sent in to know if they were safe, and later in the
day he told me he could not sleep all night for the anxiety he felt about them.
REMINISCENCES OF G. F. WATTS
was the best antidote for all his ordinary ills and ailments,
mental and physical, even when he felt most tired out.
I do not think Watts was ever really dull in those days even
when quite alone, which he was at times for weeks to-
gether when his friends were away. His mind was too
active for him to feel dull. He was but a moderate reader,
but books, as well as adding to his store of information,
suggested a great deal to his fancy. A book would start a
train of ideas quite outside and beyond its own contents. At
all times Watts’ mind was prone to exaggerate any difficulties
which arose in daily life; to be scared by imaginary dangers,
and to get nervously excited over trifles.1 He lived many
hours alone in his studio. He felt work a great strain on his
frail physique and sensitive nervous system. When that
strain relaxed he had but little vitality left to combat alone
any difficulties or worries. When we were in the country
these worries would arrive to me by post in long letters
which reflected the fears and agitations he was feeling, which
five minutes’ cheerful talk would probably have calmed and
dispelled. He never got quite free from the thought of his
work, so that a sympathy and interest in it, and in the great
questions pertaining to his view of art, were a necessary
accompaniment to the true intimacy of friendship. Such
sympathy and interest I had no difficulty in giving—indeed,
it was a great delight to do so. From a child the world of
art had ever been a world of enchanted ground to me, also
from a child Watts’ art had been the art that had appealed
to me as the most interesting. He no doubt greatly ex-
aggerated the value of my performances ; but neither he nor
1 One evening when our boy and a little girl who was staying with us had
gone with my maid to the Crystal Palace, and had not returned quite so early as
we expected them, having missed a train, Watts became full of nervous anxiety.
Very early next morning he sent in to know if they were safe, and later in the
day he told me he could not sleep all night for the anxiety he felt about them.